Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many farms in the East Ayrshire Council area remain under restrictions imposed after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in 1986 and what those restrictions are.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that 10 farms in the East Ayrshire Council area remain under restrictions imposed after the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986.

  In Scotland, as in the rest of the UK, restrictions were placed in designated areas where levels of radiocaesium in sheep meat exceeded the 1,000 Becquerels per kilogram control level. In order to protect the foodchain, statutory orders were made under terms of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985, which restrict the movement and slaughter of sheep in the designated areas.

Census

Kate Maclean (Dundee West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when further detailed results from the 2001 Census will be published.

Hugh Henry: Further results from the 2001 Census are available from today.

  Two printed reports from the Registrar General have been laid before Parliament today. The first of these, Scotland’s Census 2001 – Reference Volume, sets out, for Scotland level only, details of all the statistical tables produced for the 2001 Census and provides a reference guide to the Area Statistics available in electronic form for other area levels. The second report, 2001 Key Statistics for Settlements and Localities Scotland, provides summary statistics for the majority of Census questions and topics for each settlement and locality as defined by the Registrar General.

  In addition, the first of six CD products is available from today. These provide easy access to the detailed results, as presented in the Reference Volume, for smaller areas.

  Finally, the SCROL (Scotland’s Census Results OnLine) website will be available later this month. This will be progressively updated to include more results as these become available.

  Copies of the reports (Bib. numbers 26759 and 26760, respectively) and the first CD are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre or from the GROS website at www.gro-scotland.gov.uk.

Child Care

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many families in the Midlothian Council area have benefited from Sure Start Scotland; in what ways they have benefited, and how much of that organisation’s £42 million funding was allocated to projects in the area.

Cathy Jamieson: To date £61 million has been allocated to local authorities in Scotland to implement the Sure Start Scotland programme. Of that total, Midlothian Council has received £854,000. It has used the money to establish a network of five locally-based projects in areas of need offering child care, parenting courses, group work, counselling, and expanding to offer outreach. This expanded on two existing projects and created three new ones working on a similar model.

  A national mapping exercise published in May 2002 found that Sure Start Scotland has offered support to over 15,000 additional children in 2000-01 and 6,000 parents. However, it is not possible to break this down to local authority level as raw data would not be of sufficient quality and completeness to support analysis or to allow conclusions to be drawn or comparisons with other data to be made. The figures cover a wide range of provision which vary in intensity from one-off interventions to sustained support over a long period.

Crofting

Mr Alasdair Morrison (Western Isles) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome of the consultation on proposals for crofting reform legislation was and what conclusions it has drawn from the consultation responses.

Ross Finnie: There were 59 responses to the consultation on the white paper and the great majority were in favour of the bulk of our proposals. There was some dissent on particular proposals and helpful suggestions for improvement of others. In the light of the response I have concluded that the bulk of our proposals are what crofting interests want. With minor adjustment in some cases, I would hope that these will form a firm basis for future legislation. The consultation has, however, indicated that there is strong support for certain additional measures. While it will be for a future administration to decide on the terms and timing of any bill, it is my opinion that new legislation should also provide:

  That the Crofters Commission should have power to act in place of the landlord to enforce compliance with conditions of tenure provided the landlord does not object.

  That conditions of tenure should be modified so that unacceptable neglect or misuse of croft land can be dealt with.

  That a legatee who declines a croft tenancy also declines the value of that tenancy.

  That land resumed from crofting tenure may, through court action be returned to crofting tenure, if it ceases to be used for the purpose for which it was resumed or is never put to that purpose.

  That there should be scope to extend the period available to the Crofters Commission to find a tenant for a vacant croft subject to payment of compensation to the landlord for lost rent.

  That the Register of Crofts should become map based.

  That where croft boundaries delineated by enclosure of the land have been accepted by the crofter, landlord and neighbouring crofters for more than 20 years these should be treated as the de facto boundary for legal purposes except where there is adequate documentary evidence of a different boundary.

  That where a property has been registered as croft land for 20 years or more, its status as croft land should become unchallengeable.

  I have also concluded that the white paper proposals for the creation of new crofts should be modified in the light of concerns that it might lead to a two-tier system of rights for crofters and that the proposal to devolve regulatory decision making to local groups should be dropped.

  In addition to these changes there is a need to look very carefully at the potential impacts the system of crofting tenure may have on proposals to develop wind farms and other renewable energy projects on croft land. I already see a clear need to find a way of enforcing binding agreements relating to grazings management and to find a simpler and more effective means of resuming land where there is consensus between crofters and their landlord that the land needs to be taken out of crofting tenure. Other measures may also be required to facilitate development on common grazings.

  Decisions about further consultation and the timing of legislation will be a matter for a future administration after the election. However, it has been the intention of the Executive that there should be further consultation on a draft bill before a bill is finally introduced to Parliament.

Dentistry

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing peripatetic dentistry services in remote and rural areas.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Currently, NHS boards or trusts may purchase and operate mobile dental units for the use of salaried general dental service dentists and/or community dentists. These units are used to bring NHS dental services to various target groups, including people in remote, rural and island areas. Mobile dental units are in use in Argyll and Clyde, Ayrshire and Arran, Highland, Lothian, Borders, Dumfries and Galloway, Fife, Forth Valley, Grampian, Lanarkshire, Orkney, Tayside and Western Isles.

  In addition, salaried and community dentists travel between dental clinics situated in various locations in remote and rural areas to make NHS dental services more accessible. NHS boards or trusts may seek the approval of Scottish ministers to establish further salaried dentist posts in remote or rural areas where there is a gap in provision.

  NHS boards or trusts may make special arrangements with independent general dental practitioners for dental services to patients in rural or remote areas. They may pay a fee for loss of remunerative time spent on travel to these areas and the practitioners are compensated for visits cancelled at short notice.

Doctors

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many doctors were employed in the North Ayrshire local authority area in (a) 1996-97, (b) 1997-98, (c) 1998-99, (d) 1999-2000, (e) 2000-01 and (f) 2001-02.

Employment

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to increase the employment rates of disadvantaged groups, lone parents and ethnic minorities in the Edinburgh East and Musselburgh parliamentary constituency area.

Iain Gray: Employment policy is reserved to the UK Government which takes the lead on funding and delivery of Welfare to Work programmes. In Scotland it does this in partnership with the Scottish Executive and contributing organisations.

  The New Deal for Lone Parents and the New Deal for Disabled People are available on a voluntary basis in the Edinburgh East and Musselburgh parliamentary constituency. Following a qualifying period of unemployment, Jobcentre Plus clients are eligible to join the New Deal for Young People and the New Deal for the Long-term Unemployed. Both these programmes have targets to achieve parity of outcomes for those clients from Minority Ethnic Groups.

  A Jobcentre Plus Minority Ethnic Outreach Worker operates within the constituency, liaising with New Deal Personal Advisers and local minority ethnic groups to improve the employability skills of ethnic minorities and to encourage their engagement with the New Deals.

  Help is also available to increase the employment rate of those with a history of drug misuse within the Edinburgh East and Musselburgh parliamentary constituency through Progress2Work.

  A number of disadvantaged groups also have early access to Training for Work.

Employment

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in the (a) City of Edinburgh and (b) East Lothian council area have gone into jobs through the New Deal, broken down by (i) race, (ii) gender and (iii) disability.

Iain Gray: Figures on the number of jobs obtained through each of the New Deals in Edinburgh and East Lothian are only available for the New Deal for Young People, the New Deal 25 Plus and the New Deal for Lone Parents.

  Combining the latest data for each of these programmes from the start of each produces the jobs totals in the table, broken down by (i) race, (ii) gender and (iii) disability.

  

 

Total Jobs 
  



(a) City of Edinburgh 
  

(b) East Lothian 
  



(i) Race1




White 
  

5,602 
  

967 
  



Black 
  

43 
  

6 
  



Asian 
  

84 
  

3 
  



Chinese 
  

9 
  

1 
  



Other ethnic 
  

34 
  

2 
  



Unknown2


211 
  

21 
  



(ii) Gender 
  



Men 
  

3,570 
  

559 
  



Women 
  

2,396 
  

439 
  



Unknown2


17 
  

2 
  



(iii) Disability 
  



Disabled 
  

836 
  

148 
  



Not disabled 
  

5,113 
  

850 
  



Unknown2


34 
  

2 
  



  Source: New Deal Evaluation Database, data to end December 2002.

  Note:

  1. Classifications have been aggregated in the interests of brevity.

  2. "Unknown" includes both clients who prefer not to disclose, and a small number of database recording inconsistencies.

Environment

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what response it made to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution’s 22nd report, Energy - The Changing Climate .

Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive worked closely with the UK Government in producing the UK response to the Royal Commission's 22nd Report, which was published on 24 February.

  Whilst the Scottish position is covered by the UK response, I have today written to the Chairman of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution offering further detail on measures being taken in Scotland to address its recommendations directed specifically to the devolved administrations. Copies have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 26862).

Genealogy

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a strategy for attracting people from overseas to come to Scotland and carry out ancestral research; whether such people played any role in the formulation of this strategy, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Mike Watson: Ease of access to information to allow people from overseas to research their Scottish ancestry is part of VisitScotland’s marketing strategy. This information is available through the website ancestralscotland.com, which also has a link from the main visitscotland.com website. VisitScotland carry out visitor surveys and research in this area to maximise the benefit to Scotland of ancestral tourism, and to assess its impact in overseas tourism markets.

  The Scottish Family History Service project will provide web access to the most important genealogical sources currently available through scotlandspeople.gov.uk and scottishdocuments.com.

Genealogy

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed local authority one-stop shops for ancestral research will provide the detailed local information needed for researchers to visit the actual historical sites of their ancestors.

Hugh Henry: The nature of the information resources and services to be offered by the local authority one-stop shops proposed as part of the Scottish Family History Service project will be a matter for individual local authorities to determine. Consultation is on-going with local authorities and other interested bodies as to the structure and contents of local centres.

Genealogy

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the time period required to photocopy certain archive material in genealogical and historical archive centres acts as a barrier to people from overseas researching their genealogical history.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr George MacKenzie, Keeper of the Records of Scotland, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The National Archives of Scotland provides over 40,000 photocopy pages per year for genealogical and historical researchers from unique and often fragile documents. In order to minimise the risk of damage, careful handling procedures are followed and specialised equipment is used. We have no evidence that the time this takes acts as a barrier to overseas researchers.

  Digital images of the most popular documents, wills from 1500 to 1901, are available to view and to purchase on the ScottishDocuments website at http://www.scottishdocuments.com.

  The Executive cannot respond in relation to local, private or other archives which are outwith its responsibility.

Genealogy

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether overseas people seeking to conduct genealogical and historical research in historical archive centres are informed in advance of travelling to Scotland of any archive material that will be unavailable due to repair work being carried out on damaged documents.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr George MacKenzie, Keeper of the Records of Scotland, to respond. His response is as follows:

  In its publicity material, the National Archives of Scotland (NAS) advises readers travelling from a distance to enquire in advance of their arrival as to the availability of particular records. Where a record requested is undergoing conservation treatment, NAS makes every effort either to accelerate the work or to provide a satisfactory copy in its stead.

  The Executive cannot respond in relation to local, private or other archives which are outwith its responsibility.

Genealogy

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether post-1700 archive records pertaining to Jacobite trials, executions and imprisonment are held in any genealogical and historical archive centres and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr George MacKenzie, Keeper of the Records of Scotland, to respond. His response is as follows:

  Following the ’15 and ’45 risings, a deliberate decision was taken to try Jacobite prisoners outwith Scotland. Consequently, the bulk of trial documents are held at the Public Record Office in London.

  Comprehensive information on Jacobite sources in the National Archives of Scotland (NAS) are available in A Jacobite Source List (ISBN 1 870874 20 X) which can be obtained via the NAS website www.nas.gov.uk.

Genealogy

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a strategy for attracting overseas visitors to come to Scotland to carry out genealogical and historical research of clan ancestry; whether clan ancestral research has a role to play in the tourism industry, and whether there is a need for more centres for genealogical and historical research in the Highlands.

Mike Watson: Stimulating an interest in genealogy on the part of potential overseas visitors with ancestors among the Scottish clans is part of VisitScotland’s marketing strategy, using the internet. Information on genealogical research can be found on the tourism website scotexchange.net, while those interested in their ancestry can use the ancestralscotland.com website to find out more. VisitScotland is considering whether the clans could be given more prominence on this website, and encourages other organisations with genealogy information to link with it. In addition, the Scottish Family History Service project will provide web access to the most important genealogical sources currently available through scotlandspeople.gov.uk and scottishdocuments.com.

Genealogy

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is issued to assist overseas people interested in conducting genealogical and historical research of their ancestors in Scotland.

Mike Watson: Guidance for people interested in conducting genealogical and historical research about their ancestors in Scotland is provided on the website ancestralscotland.com, which has a link from the main visitscotland.com website. The websites of the General Register Office for Scotland and the National Archives of Scotland provide access to the main genealogical sources (gro-scotland.gov.uk and nas.gov.uk). These two departments and the Court of the Lord Lyon are working to integrate their services and provide a single authoritative genealogical portal.

Genealogy

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any genealogical records exist in Scotland pertaining to Catholic ancestry dating further back than the 18th century; what its response is to the claim that such documents exist in the Vatican Archives in Rome, and whether it has made, or intends to make, any representations to bring these archive documents back to Scotland from the Vatican.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr George MacKenzie, Keeper of the Records of Scotland, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The National Archives of Scotland (NAS) holds copies of Roman Catholic baptismal and marriage records from 1703 to 1970 but the original registers are held locally in the parishes. The NAS has no knowledge of genealogical records held in the Vatican Archives, and has no plans to ask for the transmission to Scotland of any records held there.

Justice

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in increasing partnership working in the delivery of legal information and advice services.

Mr Jim Wallace: Local partnership within a national strategic framework should be a key theme of the development of a community legal service for Scotland. That is why the Deputy Minister for Justice announced on 21 March that the Executive, in close collaboration with the Scottish Legal Aid Board, intended to establish pilot partnerships to look at local advice needs and service provision in Fife, Argyll and Bute and Edinburgh. This is in addition to the partnership already in operation in Glasgow West. The Executive is also in discussion with the Disability Rights Commission about establishing a thematic pilot partnership to look at provision of advice to people with a disability.

  In addition, four pilot projects administered by the Scottish Legal Aid Board with additional funding from the Executive are under way looking at new models of partnership-based service delivery for people in need of legal advice and help. These projects are working with Citizen's Advice Bureaux in Inverness and Moray; with advice providers in West Lothian; with Streetwork in Edinburgh, and with the Ethnic Minorities Law Centre and Castlemilk Law Centre in Glasgow.

Justice

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives are being taken to extend the provision of "one-stop shop" delivery of legal information and advice services, building on the experience of existing services such as citizens advice bureaux.

Mr Jim Wallace: Following the Review of Legal Information and Advice Provision in Scotland , which reported in November 2001, the Executive is taking forward a programme of practical development work to lay the foundations for a community legal service for Scotland. The respective roles of "one-stop shops" and more specialised advice agencies, and the arrangements for effective referral between different agencies to ensure that people get the best help they can, are being considered as part of that programme of work.

Justice

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33923 by Mrs Elish Angiolini on 10 March 2003, what the reporting policies are that have led to the increase in cases being marked "no proceedings" due to delays in the Strathclyde area.

Mr Jim Wallace: This is a matter for Strathclyde Police. The force has emphasised that the various factors referred to in the earlier answer are inter-related, that the increase in detection rates is a further factor, and that a review is under way involving procurators fiscal with a view to reducing delays as far as possible. I understand that the reference to reporting policies relates to the prioritisation of the different sorts of cases dealt with by the police and procurators fiscal as well as other related factors such as the procedures for reporting where there are cases with a significant number of charges.

Justice

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33923 by Mrs Elish Angiolini on 10 March 2003, what the technology problems are that have led to the increase in cases being marked "no proceedings" due to delay in the Strathclyde area.

Mr Jim Wallace: This is a matter for Strathclyde Police. The force has emphasised that the various factors referred to in the earlier answer are inter-related, that the increase in detection rates is a further factor, and that a review is under way involving procurators fiscal with a view to reducing delays as far as possible. I understand that the reference to technology relates to a number of on-going developments including electronic communications systems and an upgraded digital dictation system which is currently being rolled out.

Justice

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33923 by Mrs Elish Angiolini on 10 March 2003, what the resources problems have been that have led to the increase in cases being marked "no proceedings" due to delay in the Strathclyde area.

Mr Jim Wallace: This is a matter for Strathclyde Police. The force has emphasised that the various factors referred to in the earlier answer are inter-related, that the increase in detection rates is a further factor, and that a review is under way involving procurators fiscal with a view to reducing delays as far as possible. I understand that the reference to resources relates mainly to the way in which case checking currently takes place and whether, by adopting different arrangements within the force, the current procedures can be improved.

Nursing

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards offer career pathway packages to qualified nurses.

Malcolm Chisholm: The development of career packages is a matter for NHS boards and trusts to consider as part of their local recruitment and retention strategies. All trusts have continuing professional development funding (CPD) for nurses and midwives which they use for a variety of purposes. An additional £1.75 million CPD funding was given to NHS trusts in 2002, to be used for priorities decided in conjunction with front-line nursing and midwifery staff. In terms of career development, most NHS trusts also have discrete development programmes for newly qualified nurses and midwives, again designed around local requirements.

Nursing

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many nurses were employed in the North Ayrshire local authority area in (a) 1996-97, (b) 1997-98, (c) 1998-99, (d) 1999-2000, (e) 2000-01 and (f) 2001-02.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The information requested is not held centrally.

People with Disabilities

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to increase accessibility for disabled people to houses.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive continues to explore and develop national policies to increase accessibility for disabled people to houses. This includes:

  changes to building standards to provide significantly improved access for people with disabilities;

  the introduction of Local Housing Strategies, which require local authorities to assess the provision of special needs housing in their area;

  the Introduction of a condition to funding from Communities Scotland that all social rented sector new build developments meet barrier free standards;

  funding to develop an electronic personal housing planner for disabled people;

  funding to develop a database to map housing adaptations for disabled people;

  establishment of a Strategy Forum under the joint future agenda to modernise and improve equipment and adaptation services;

  introduction of the Housing Improvement Task Force's final report, which recommends: the proposed single survey should include an accessibility report to assist disabled people looking to buy a house; strengthen rights for private tenants to carry out adaptations; improve assistance available to disabled home owners to carry out works to their homes, and

  continuing to develop Care and Repair projects throughout Scotland to help disabled owner-occupiers to carry out repairs, improvements and adaptations to their homes.

People with Disabilities

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the availability of disabled persons housing services across Scotland and what funding it is providing to increase this availability.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive supports the disabled persons housing service model of provision. Where available, these services are funded by local authorities who have a duty under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 to take account of the housing needs of disabled people in the development of their local housing strategies. The Scottish Executive does not consider that it would be appropriate to provide separate grant funding to support this aspect of local authorities’ housing responsibilities.

Pharmacists

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students have (a) applied for entry and (b) been accepted to study pharmacy courses at universities in Scotland in each of the last five years.

Iain Gray: The information requested is given in the table:

  Scottish Applicants and Accepted Applicants to B3 Pharmacy in Scottish Universities, 1998-2002*

  


Data 
  

Year 
  



1998 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  

2002 
  



Applicants 
  

535 
  

465 
  

502 
  

540 
  

640 
  



Accepts 
  

190 
  

167 
  

184 
  

173 
  

244 
  



  Source: Universities and Colleges Admissions Service.

  Note:

  *B3 Pharmacy was called B2 Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmacy in 2002.

Planning

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how equality issues will be considered in the development of a spatial strategy and a planning bill.

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how mainstreaming equality principles will be applied in the drafting of a planning bill.

Des McNulty: Equality is a key cross-cutting issue for the whole of the Executive. Our Equality Strategy, Working Together for Equality, provides a framework for a mainstreaming approach which requires policymakers to take account of and reflect the diverse needs of the population.

Poverty

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) children and (b) pensioners it has lifted out of poverty since 1999.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive’s Social Justice Annual Report, A Scotland where everyone matters  sets out the Scottish Executive’s strategy for tackling all aspects of poverty and social exclusion.

  Low income is one aspect of poverty. Tables 1 and 2 of the document Households Below Average Income: Figures for Scotland Using the Range of Low Income Thresholds, include the numbers (and proportions) of children and pensioners that were living in low income households in each year from 1994-95 to 2001-02. Table 1 presents numbers of those in absolute low income (compared to the baseline year of 1996-97); table 2 presents numbers of those in relative low income.

  A copy of the report is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 27023) and is also available on the Scottish Executive website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library4/FCSD/OCEA/00016688.aspx.

Pre-School Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any local authorities are implementing waiting lists for the provision of nursery places and, if so, how many children are on such lists, broken down by local authority area.

Cathy Jamieson: Information received from local authorities indicates that none are implementing a waiting list for pre-school education.

Pre-School Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the provision of free nursery places for all three- and four-year-olds includes a guarantee of a minimum number of hours of free provision per child.

Cathy Jamieson: Local authorities have a duty to secure pre-school education amounting to a minimum of 412.5 hours over the school year. Parents are free to ask for fewer hours but that does not relieve the authority from their duty to secure appropriate pre-school education provision.

Pre-School Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what maximum number of sessions of free nursery provision is available per child per week and how many children are receiving this level of free provision.

Cathy Jamieson: Each eligible child is entitled to up to 412.5 hours of free pre-school education per year. The following restrictions have been imposed on the provision of pre-school education in the interests of the child:

  no child should have more than three continuous hours of pre-school education without a clear rest period;

  education provision should not exceed five hours in any one day, and

  there should not be any more than five sessions of 2.5 hours of education in any one week.

  Many centres, of course, provide care to complement this education provision.

  The number of children undertaking pre-school education is shown in Table 1 of the 2002 Pre-school and Daycare Census, a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 24310). A total of 123,007 children were taking up their full entitlement to 412.5 hours of funded pre-school education in 2002.

Pre-School Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what maximum level of subsidy is available per child in private sector, voluntary sector or local authority pre-school centres to provide a free part-time place for every three- and four-year-old.

Cathy Jamieson: Resources amounting to £137 million were transferred to the local government settlement from 2002-03. No maximum figure has been set for the provision of a pre-school education. However, an annual minimum payment per child has been set for 2002-03 and 2003-04 of £963 and £987 respectively.

Pre-School Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated total cost of provision of free part-time places for every three- and four-year-old has been in each year since the scheme for such provision began.

Cathy Jamieson: Prior to 2002-03, the Scottish Executive administered funding for pre-school education. It was made up of three elements, grant per place, rural and development.

  Grant per place was claimed by local authorities on the basis of the number of sessions undertaken by children. The rural element was allocated to 12 authorities in recognition of the difficulties and increased costs associated with operating in a rural setting. The development funding was allocated to expand the provision available for three-year-olds to meet the target of full participation. Funding for the provision of pre-school education for all three-year-olds came on stream from 1999-2000.

  The pre-school education grant issued to local authorities to administer since 1998-99 are shown in the following table.

  


Year 
  

Distributed Per Capita
(£ million) 
  

Rural Element
(£ million) 
  

Development
(£ million) 
  

Total
(£ million) 
  



1998-99 
  

42.7 
  

3.9 
  

5.5 
  

52.1 
  



1999-2000 
  

85.6 
  

5.8 
  

20.8 
  

112.3 
  



2000-01 
  

105.3 
  

6 
  

18 
  

129.3 
  



2001-02 
  

118.2 
  

6.3 
  

11.6 
  

136

Pre-School Education

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average weekly cost to parents is of full-time nursery provision in pre-school centres run by (a) the private sector, (b) the voluntary sector and (c) local authorities.

Cathy Jamieson: Information on the costs of full-time pre-school education and child care is not collected centrally.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average number of available prisoner places has been in HM Prison Kilmarnock in each quarter since the opening of the prison.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  Since the phase-in of prisoners in 1999, the number of Available Prisoner Places, as defined in the contract between SPS and Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited, has remained at 500.

  The number of Additional Prisoner Places, as defined in the contract, was 48 from July 2000 until January 2003. Since 1 February 2003, the number of such places has been 96.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many category D prisoners have been unlawfully at large in each of the last five years, broken down by prison from which they became unlawfully at large.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  Information about prisoners unlawfully at large by security category is not available. The SPS annual reports give details of numbers of prisoners escaping/absconding from custody.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33813 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 March 2003, what changes the investigation by the director of HM Prison Kilmarnock has concluded need to be made to improve procedures for suicide prevention at the prison.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The director has indicated that some further work is being undertaken which will not be completed until the end of March, at which point he will consider whether any procedural changes are required.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33813 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 March 2003, whether the investigation by the director of HM Prison Kilmarnock has concluded that there were any shortcomings in the procedures for suicide prevention at the prison.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The director has indicated that some further work is being undertaken which will not be completed until the end of March. It is therefore too early to say what conclusions he will reach.

Prison Service

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the new arrangements for prisoner escort duties will be in place and what level of resources this will free up in the prison service.

Mr Jim Wallace: A tendering exercise is currently under way. Subject to the progress of discussions with tenderers, a decision is expected in the summer of 2003. The resources freed up for the criminal justice system will depend on the outcome of the tender process.

Public Appointments

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what role it played in the appointment of Joan Aitken as Scottish Traffic Commissioner.

Iain Gray: A senior Scottish Executive official was a member of the selection panel which interviewed candidates for the post.

Rail Network

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33691 by Lewis Macdonald on 25 February 2003, what body will be responsible for carrying out the performance impact studies and issuing of regulatory dispensations for each rail project and what impact a negative study or non-issue of such dispensation would have on each project.

Lewis Macdonald: Network Rail in partnership with the promoter are responsible for assessing the impact on operational performance of rail projects. Together, they agree bilaterally on the impact of projects and submit their calculations to The Office of the Rail Regulator (ORR) to evaluate. The ORR in consultation with the Strategic Rail Authority has the power to adjust/reset benchmarks accordingly.

Renewable Energy

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-34108 by Des McNulty on 26 February 2003, when a decision will be made on the wind farm public inquiry.

Des McNulty: It is not possible to say, at this stage, when a decision will be made on the An Suidhe proposal. Every effort will, however, be made to reach an early decision.

Renewable Energy

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the results of, and its response to, last year’s consultation Scotland’s Renewable Energy Potential - Beyond 2010 .

Ross Finnie: I am publishing today the Scottish Executive’s response to this consultation document. Our response confirms that we are adopting a renewable electricity generation target of 40% by 2020, and sets out the actions which we believe will enable us to successfully achieve this ambitious goal. Copies of the response have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 26675). The document, together with a summary of the responses to our consultation, are also available on the Scottish Executive website.

Residential Care

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake a review of the role and value of children's homes in order to ensure that the most effective action is being taken to deliver a high quality service that best meets the needs of looked after children in residential care, in the light of the findings of the article by G Heron and M Chakrabarti, "Examining the perceptions and attitudes of staff working in community based children's homes: are their needs being met?", in Qualitative Social Work, Volume 1, 2002 .

Cathy Jamieson: We have no plans to carry out such a review. Residential care plays an important part in the range of care options available for looked after children. It can be the most appropriate placement for some young people. Residential units are being inspected by the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care against National Care Standards published by Scottish ministers to ensure that they provide a high quality service. The research for the article by Harron and Chakrabarti was completed in 1999, before the establishment of the Commission and the National Care Standards. In addition the Executive continues to invest substantially in training and development in this field through funding the Scottish Institute of Residential Child Care. The Chief Social Work Inspector is preparing plans for a review of the quality of services for all looked after children.

Roads

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the tenders for the preliminary design of the A77 southern section improvements will be issued; what the closing date for receipt of such tenders will be, and how long it will take to scrutinise the tenders and decide upon the successful contractor.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive intend to procure the preliminary design of the improvements on the A77 southern section through a framework contract and have already initiated the tender process. Service providers wishing to bid for the work have until 28 March to intimate an interest. Tender invitations will be issued to prequalified contractors in April and the bids should be returned at the end of May with a view to the contract being awarded in July.

Roads

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-6561 by Iain Gray on 6 March 2003, how long the public consultation process will take after receipt of the successful preliminary design proposals for the A77 southern section improvements.

Lewis Macdonald: The duration of the public consultation period prior to the finalisation of the necessary statutory processes will depend on public reaction to proposals once they have been published.

Roads

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what target dates are currently under consideration for the issuing of contracts for the construction work necessary to carry out the improvements on the southern section of the A77 and what timescale it has set for completion of the improvements.

Lewis Macdonald: The dates of issue of contracts will be dependent on the time taken in the pre-contract stages, referred to in the answer given to question S1W-34557 today. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Roads

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-6561 by Iain Gray on 6 March 2003, why it could not proceed on a design and construct fixed-cost tender basis for the improvements on the southern section of the A77.

Lewis Macdonald: It would not be possible at this stage to define the scope of a potential fixed-cost, fixed-time contract. Contracts of this type involve higher tendering costs and longer tendering periods, and the decision as to which type of contract to employ on any scheme must balance this against the scale of costs and potential savings.

Roads

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-6561 by Iain Gray on 6 March 2003, why it could not proceed on a design and construct fixed-cost, fixed-time, tender basis for the improvements on the southern section of the A77 and what experience it has of using such an approach.

Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-34559 today. The majority of major trunk road projects are procured through design and construct contracts. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Roads

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial arrangements are now in place in respect of the M77 extension between Malletsheugh and Fenwick.

Lewis Macdonald: It is proposed to take forward the M77 extension as a joint PPP contract with the Glasgow Southern Orbital project. Scottish ministers, East Renfrewshire Council and South Lanarkshire Council, will each pay the charges due under the contract in predetermined proportions.

Roads

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how often the Performance Audit Group carries out inspections of the M876 and M9 and how many inspections the group has carried out on each road.

Lewis Macdonald: The Performance Audit Group (PAG) carries out inspections on the M876 and M9 every two weeks. These inspections examine the overall condition of the route and any Operating Company on-going operations or works contracts.

  In addition, PAG carries out detailed monthly monitoring of cyclical activities, including litter clearance, at a pre-selected sample of sites across the trunk road network. These sites include one on the M876 and M9.

Roads

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any default notices have been issued to Amey Highways Ltd in respect of the clearance of litter from the central reservations, verges and slip roads of the M876 and M9; if so, how many such notices have been issued, when they were issued and whether any payments have been withheld arising from such notices.

Lewis Macdonald: No default notices have been issued to Amey Highways Ltd in respect of litter clearance on the M876 and M9.

Security Industry

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in developing proposals to regulate the private security industry.

Mr Jim Wallace: Seventy-two responses were received to the consultation paper the Scottish Executive issued in September 2001 seeking views on the regulation of the private security industry. The consultation exercise indicated widespread support for regulation although there were a range of views as to how this should be achieved. Two key issues were identified:

  the need to minimise bureaucracy, particularly from those companies which operate both north and south of the border, and

  to need to ensure that licence conditions and fees were set at a similar level to those in England and Wales so as not to disadvantage legitimate Scottish industry.

  Since the consultation exercise, further work has been undertaken which indicates that local regulation of door supervisors would be significantly more expensive and less reliable that central licensing and that our original cost assumptions were too low. Taking account of this additional work and the outcome of the consultation exercise we have concluded that we should work with the Home Office to extend the remit of Security Industry Authority (SIA) to include Scotland.

  A standard system of regulation across the whole of Great Britain would have a number of significant attractions:

  Economies of scale

  Consistency across Great Britain in terms of numbers of licences, licence conditions, training standards and costs – and ensuring duplication and bureaucracy are kept to a minimum.

  Individuals would require only one licence - no matter where they worked.

  There should be better and more consistent enforcement.

  This will require amendments to the Private Security Act 2001 to extend the SIA’s remit to include Scotland and to make consequential amendments to reflect the separate Scottish legal system and areas of the industry, such as precognition agents which are unique here. Home Office ministers have indicated that they would welcome extending the SIA’s remit to Scotland as soon as the legislative timetable permits.

  The SIA comes into being on 1 April 2003 and will begin issuing licences later in the year, taking each sector of the industry in turn. There should be no difficulty in bringing Scotland on board at the end of this process.

  Extending the remit of the SIA to include Scotland, as now proposed, can only be undertaken through legislation promoted by the UK Government. Although serious consideration was given to establishing a separate Scottish SIA, the overriding requirement is to deliver an affordable, consistent licensing regime which points clearly to a Great Britain wide approach. This will ensure best value over the long-term and will ensure that Scottish industry can thrive and compete effectively.

  A more detailed assessment is available on the Scottish Executive website or on request from the Executive.

Sewel Motions

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is consistent with the Sewel Convention for the Parliament to be asked to agree that the Sexual Offences Bill be considered by the UK Parliament after the principles of that bill, including that the bill apply to Scotland, have been agreed in the UK Parliament.

Patricia Ferguson: Yes. The Sewel Convention, which provides that the UK Parliament will not normally legislate with regard to devolved matters in Scotland without the consent of the Scottish Parliament, has always been observed. The convention does not prescribe the precise stage at which consent should be sought, though the Scottish Executive has undertaken normally to seek the Scottish Parliament’s consent before the UK Bill is given its Second Reading in the House of the UK Parliament in which it is introduced. It is recognised, however, that adherence to this timetable is not always feasible and can, in any event, put considerable demands on the Scottish Parliament. It is anticipated that improvements will be effected through the introduction of the revised process proposed by the Scottish Executive to the Scottish Parliament’s Procedures Committee.

Sexual Offences

Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether restrictions on the sale and use of pornography are considered to be integral to advancing the strategy on tackling violence against women.

Ms Margaret Curran: Our publication Preventing Violence Against Women: Action Across the Scottish Executive acknowledges that there may be a link between the use and misuse of pornography and violence against women. The research evidence in this area is, however, inconclusive and, therefore, as part of a forthcoming violence research programme, we are considering undertaking a research study which examines the perceived links between pornography and violence.

  Material that is obscene or indecent is heavily regulated under Scottish law, under section 51 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1981, the Indecent Displays (Controls) Act 1981 and through the common law offence of shameless indecency.

Sheltered Housing

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what minimum standards of warden cover for sheltered housing complexes it expects local authorities to provide; what system exists for ensuring that such minimum standards are observed; what legislation covers this matter, and how many local authorities are failing to provide such a minimum standard.

Ms Margaret Curran: There are currently no minimum standards of warden cover for local authority housing complexes.

  However, such services which fall within the definition of "housing support services" in the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 will be regulated by the Care Commission from 1 April 2003. The Commission regulates services by inspecting them against the associated subordinate legislation and the relevant National Care Standards. From 1 April 2003, legislation will require that providers of housing support services ensure that at all times suitably qualified and competent persons are working in the care service in such numbers as are appropriate for the health and welfare of the service users, having regard to the size and nature of the services, the statement of aims and objectives and the number and needs of service users. The relevant National Care Standards reinforce this by stating that it is for the Commission and the provider to agree staffing levels. Existing housing support services will be deemed to be registered with the Care Commission from 1 April and required to submit an application for registration by 1 October 2003.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it, or its executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies, will undertake an inquiry into the running of the Paisley Partnership Regeneration Company, including the use to which public monies have been put.

Des McNulty: I have asked Bob Millar, Chief Executive, Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  Renfrewshire Council are in the process of compiling a report into the operation of this company. This report, when complete, will be passed on to Communities Scotland who will take any further steps necessary at that time.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-34130 by Ms Margaret Curran on 4 March 2003, whether it will publish the results of the review by Communities Scotland of financial procedures and practices in relation to the Social Inclusion Partnership Fund.

Ms Margaret Curran: The review is part of the routine business of Communities Scotland. There are no plans to publish the results.

Sustainable Development

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1F-2038 by Mr Jack McConnell on 5 September 2002, whether a copy of its "clear strategy" on sustainable development is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre and, if so, what the strategy is called.

Ross Finnie: In April 2002, we published Meeting the Needs… Priorities, Actions and Targets for sustainable development in Scotland , which sets out our vision for sustainable development in Scotland. We have identified resource use, energy and travel as the main priority areas for action on sustainable development, and policy-makers across the Executive are encouraged to take these priority areas into account when policy decisions are made. Meeting the Needs… sets out a range of actions being taken to address these priority areas. It also lists a set of indicators and targets to help us to monitor our progress. Information on progress on each of the indicators, and summaries of the main actions we are taking to achieve our targets were published in Indicators of Sustainable Development for Scotland in February 2003.

Tourism

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many beds are expected to be available for tourists in August 2003, broken down by (a) tourist board area and (b) category of accommodation.

Mike Watson: The information requested is not held centrally.

Tourism

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many beds were available for tourists in August in each year from 1997 to 2002, broken down by (a) tourist board area and (b) category of accommodation.

Mike Watson: The information requested is not held centrally.

Youth Crime

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32801 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 December 2002, what outcome there has been from discussions with the five organisations listed on the provision of secure accommodation places.

Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-34950 on 24 March 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Youth Crime

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32801 by Cathy Jamieson on 20 December 2002, when the 25 additional secure accommodation places will become available.

Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-34950 on 24 March 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Youth Crime

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has finalised plans for accreditation of youth justice programmes and, if so, what these plans are.

Cathy Jamieson: The first meeting of the Criminal Justice Social Work Accreditation Panel is to be held on 22 and 23 April. The development of criteria for the accreditation of youth justice programmes will be discussed at this meeting.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Project

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer,  further to his answer to question S1W-33760 on 19 February 2003, whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) will provide a breakdown of the £56 million estimate for fees for the Holyrood Project referred to in his letter of 12 March 2003 placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre; how much it is estimated is due to each of the consultants, including Bovis Lend Lease (Scotland) Limited, Davis Langdon & Everest, EMBT/RMJM, Ove Arup and Partners, RMJM Scotland Limited and any other consultants, and whether the figures include any provision for site operation costs and, if so, whether it will provide a full breakdown of such costs.

Sir David Steel: It remains the case that the SPCB still regards the details of the amount of fees paid to professional consultants as commercially confidential for reasons given previously and a breakdown of these fees cannot presently be given.